A plurality of sorts and models of water taps is known. Examples are singular taps that are arranged for closing a single supply line and mixing taps that are arranged for opening/closing different supply lines to a common outlet. In addition, taps are known for chilled and/or filtered water. Further, taps for (almost) boiling water have made their appearance. Due to this diversity that has risen it appeared that an unclarity may exist for users about the temperature (to be expected) of the dispensed water. This unclarity with respect to boiling water taps in the kitchen may cause substantial risks. These problems are further aggravated by the present further integrated taps that are capable of delivering cold, warm and boiling water from a single outlet.
With existing boiling water taps it is attempted to reduce these risks by making the operation action different from normal and “non-dangerous” taps.
A boiling water tap is, e.g. described in EP 0 792 970. This tap is provided with “child-proof” operation, wherein for operation a push-rotate movement must be executed with the operating knob. Such a compound movement prevents unintentional opening of the tap, but may usually be executed rather easily by an adult to operate the tap intentionally.
It appears that, in practice, the active opening, even by for instance said push-rotate movement, does not always make the user sufficiently aware of the fact that the tap concerned is not a common water tap. Furthermore, the newest boiling water systems have almost no more “cold forerunning”, meaning that the (almost) boiling water flows out of the tap almost immediately. As a result of this, a user who puts his hands under the tap, no longer has sufficient time to react to the very high temperature of the water already flowing out.
A boiling water tap is known that is operated by pushing a push button at an operating panel one or more times, whereupon the boiling water flows out and a lamp on the control panel is illuminated.
The operation of a push button is, for many persons, a deviation from the known manner of operating a tap to such a degree that the use of the system is hardly intuitive and user friendly. For the drawing of boiling water, it is standard required to keep the little button pushed down, in order to let the water flow. By a special setting it is possible—after the button has been pushed down for 10 seconds—to release the button while the water flow remains intact. By pushing the button another time, it is then possible to close the tap. The pushing of the button thus may lead to either opening or closing of the boiling water tap. This operation is so complicated, because a simple and non-intuitive operation is not applied. Furthermore, during the pushing of the little button, only one hand is available for the cup or pan to be filled with boiling water. This is less ergonomic and safe than the tapping of boiling water with two hands available for holding the cup or pan.
Additionally, it is possible for persons, in particular children, to play with the button and to open the tap unintentionally.